1
as in sources
a point or place at which something is invented or provided
the origins of human language remain a matter of considerable debate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in roots
the source from which something grows or develops
the origin of the tradition of giving presents at Christmastime
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in lineages
the line of ancestors from whom a person is descended
they could trace their origins back 15 generations
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of origins
The origins of the film, like the film itself, lay in both personal and cinematic history.
—
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026
The festival's origins stretch back to the Roman festival of Floralia, which was held to celebrate the goddess of spring and fertility and has been reinvented numerous times in the centuries that followed, according to the National Trust.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 9 Apr. 2026
The ambiguity around the word’s origins stems at least partly from a centuries-long moral panic over it, says Michael Adams, an English professor at Indiana University Bloomington who has written about swearing.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026
Her Cartier Tank Française, however, has mysterious origins.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 8 Apr. 2026
In this case, the building was once a school and, in its last iteration, a textile warehouse—nothing resembling its royal origins.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Apr. 2026
Here’s a look at The Times’ photos from every year of the festival, including its origins in 1999, legendary performances from Daft Punk, Prince and Beyoncé, and the iconic art installations the festival has hosted over the years.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Directed and produced by Steven Gunnell and Sabrina Gunnell of KREA Film-Makers, the film explores the origins and enduring significance of the Catholic devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, rooted in the 17th-century visions of Margaret Mary Alacoque in Paray-le-Monial, France.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 7 Apr. 2026
The term historic may be understated for a city that can trace its origins, as a continuous settlement, to the first millennium BCE.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026
The festival's origins stretch back to the Roman festival of Floralia, which was held to celebrate the goddess of spring and fertility and has been reinvented numerous times in the centuries that followed, according to the National Trust.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 9 Apr. 2026
The ambiguity around the word’s origins stems at least partly from a centuries-long moral panic over it, says Michael Adams, an English professor at Indiana University Bloomington who has written about swearing.
—Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2026
Her Cartier Tank Française, however, has mysterious origins.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 8 Apr. 2026
In this case, the building was once a school and, in its last iteration, a textile warehouse—nothing resembling its royal origins.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Apr. 2026
Here’s a look at The Times’ photos from every year of the festival, including its origins in 1999, legendary performances from Daft Punk, Prince and Beyoncé, and the iconic art installations the festival has hosted over the years.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Directed and produced by Steven Gunnell and Sabrina Gunnell of KREA Film-Makers, the film explores the origins and enduring significance of the Catholic devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, rooted in the 17th-century visions of Margaret Mary Alacoque in Paray-le-Monial, France.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 7 Apr. 2026
The term historic may be understated for a city that can trace its origins, as a continuous settlement, to the first millennium BCE.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for origins
Noun
-
The sources described this as a discussion about how to launch direct talks.—
Brian Dakss,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The couple's adult children from previous relationships are meeting this weekend, sources told TMZ.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The fish fry traces its roots back to 2021, when Robinson, founder of The Applesauce Group, a nonprofit that works to empower historically excluded communities, began hosting small gatherings during the uncertainty of the pandemic.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2026
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What’s more, onions and other alliums have natural antibacterial properties that may inhibit the nitrogen-fixing bacteria on the roots of legume plants.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Imagine crossing thousands of miles of open ocean — no rest stops, no landmarks — and somehow colonizing a remote archipelago to start entirely new lineages.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Some myosin classes, such as I and II, are widely conserved across many organisms, whereas others are more specialized and restricted to particular lineages—for example, certain classes are found mainly in animals and others in plants.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the sweet video, Steinfeld lifts her black sweatshirt to reveal her baby bump, which her husband then kisses and cradles; the two frolic in the snow looking so in love.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Cellphone mounts or cradles allow people to access their mobile devices at all times.—
Rachel Swan,
San Francisco Chronicle,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Near the beginnings of our respective careers, we were separately introduced to one such cocktail that seemed like the height of sophistication to young, budding industry professionals.—
Jerry & Krista Slater,
AJC.com,
12 Apr. 2026
-
From its single-truck beginnings, Piece of Cake has expanded into a national operation with hubs in major cities including New York, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Dallas.—
NIa Bowers,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Eastern and western ancestries in Karelian Mesolithic dogs suggest that two lineages diverged during the Paleolithic.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Mar. 2026
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That drops to 49% for Hispanic/Latino patients, 29% for Black patients and even lower for mixed ancestries, the NMDP reports.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In practice, they are frequently drawn to familiar names and pedigrees.—
Michelle Cottle,
Mercury News,
9 Apr. 2026
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The indictment also accused the men of purchasing the counterfeit prescription drugs without proper paperwork, known as T3s/pedigrees, and reselling them to pharmacy customers.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The seal texts often introduced the owners with their names, genealogies, gender, professions and hometowns.—
Serdar Yalçin,
The Conversation,
3 Nov. 2025
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Transcripts, grammars, vocabularies, dictionaries, glyph studies, botanical studies, commentaries, articles, editions of codices, correspondence, maps, charts, drawings, photographs, Maya Society materials, genealogies of Maya families, and Mayan glyphs on moveable type.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Origins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/origins. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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